


Karaoke Night

by Persiflage



Series: Johnson & Coulson Exchange 2k17 [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Clothed Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Time, Johnson & Coulson Exchange, Karaoke, Mentions of Bobbi/Mack/Hunter, Mentions of Trip/Jemma, Missing Scene, Older Man/Younger Woman, Season/Series 02, Singing, Wall Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 18:35:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9136522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persiflage/pseuds/Persiflage
Summary: Post 2:07, the team have a karaoke night, with interesting consequences.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Johnson & Coulson Fanworks Exchange.
> 
> I actually spent quite a bit of time working out what songs each person should sing. Like, a ridiculous amount of time, considering this is just a ridiculously cheesy fic!

"So, um, we're having a karaoke night on Friday night."

Coulson raises an eyebrow at Skye's words. "You are?"

" _We_ are," she says with gentle emphasis.

"I really don't think it would be appropriate for me to participate," Coulson says hastily.

"Of course it would," Skye says immediately. "It shows everyone you're not so far above us that you can't have a bit of fun with us."

"I'm not above you."

She snorts. "Sure you're not, Coulson. You're the Director."

He sighs. "Don't remind me." He pushes his chair back from his desk a little way, then lifts his right hand to scrub over his face. When he lowers his hand, Skye's moved and is leaning against the edge of his desk, just to the right of his knees. He swallows down his sudden nervousness at her proximity, and tries to ignore the fact she's only wearing a tank with her jeans (and though he hates himself for noticing, he's fairly sure she's not wearing a bra under the tank).

"Coulson," she says, her voice soft and worried. "It would do you and everyone else good to have a bit of fun for a few hours." She nudges her knee against his. "If you really don't want to, you don't have to sing – or just sing one song with someone else."

"Fine, fine," he says wearily. He knows he can't really say 'No' to Skye, and truth be told, he does enjoy karaoke – he just tries not to let on.

"Good." She gives him a bright grin as she pushes away from his desk. "Oh and dress down a bit, will you?" She suddenly looks anxious. "I mean – you do own more clothes than just the suits, don't you?"

He pretends to look outraged. "Of course I do, Skye."

She gives him an unrepentant grin. "Well, you know – I wasn't sure. You do seem pretty welded into those suits. It'd be nice to see you out of them for once."

Coulson just about manages not to choke, then makes a flapping motion with his hand, trying to dismiss her. She goes out, still grinning, and as soon as the door's closed behind her, he has to take a moment to adjust himself, shameful though that is.

DJ-PC-DJ-PC-DJ

When Friday night comes around, he enters the lounge with the feeling that elephants are doing a rumba in his gut, never mind butterflies. He notices immediately that both May and Fitz are conspicuous by their absence, and he wonders if he should go and fetch them, then decides to leave it and see if they show up.

Skye's at the far side of the room, with Bobbi and Mack, and he realises they're setting up the karaoke machine, hired by Skye for the purpose. Koenig appears at his side, and says, "This was a good idea of Skye's."

"She's just full of good ideas," Coulson says, and hopes he doesn't sound sour about it.

Koenig just nods, however, so maybe he sounded more complimentary than he realised. He's not sure that's better, however, but dismisses the thought when Skye's voice cuts through the chatter.

"Help yourselves to drinks, guys," she says, gesturing to a table on the other side of the room where bottles of beer and various other alcoholic offerings are lined up. Coulson notices there are also bowls of pretzels, nuts, chips, and various other snacks provided.

"Bobbi and I are going to start, just to get things going and let you get yourselves organised a bit." Skye looks across at the door as Fitz sidles in, then sits at the back of the room, and she gives the young scientist a warm smile, which turns into a bigger smile when May comes in. The fact that the older agent then leans back against the wall with her arms folded over her chest and a inscrutable expression on her face doesn't seem to faze Skye, and Coulson can't help smiling just a little: if anyone could persuade May to sing, it's probably Skye – but he's not going to bet money on that.

Bobbi steps up beside Skye, and the music starts up, and Coulson can't help smirking a bit as Cyndi Lauper's _Girls Just Want to Have Fun_ begins to play, and the two sing:

_I come home in the morning light_  
_My mother says when you gonna live your life right_  
_Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones_  
_And girls they wanna have fun_  
_Oh girls just want to have fun_

Trip and Hunter both cheer and he sees May crack a smile as the two younger agents really get into the song. He notes that Mack is standing beside Hunter, while Simmons is beside Trip, and he glances back at Fitz who's watching with a bit of blank expression. He'd hoped that Simmons' time away, and subsequent return, would have helped Fitz in his recovery, but so far he's not sure that's happened. It probably doesn't help that Trip has clearly only got eyes for Simmons. 

When their song finishes, Bobbi crosses to stand between Hunter and Mack, and the former claps Bobbi on the back, then goes to take the microphone from Skye. She grins up at the British agent, then nods at something Hunter says, before crossing the room to stand beside Coulson.

"You sing very well," he tells her. "I had no idea."

She shrugs self-deprecatingly. "It's one of the few things the nuns used to praise me for – though not when I sang pop songs instead of hymns."

He chuckles at that, then looks up as Hunter launches into his song of choice, his eyes fixed on Bobbi the whole time:

_Emergency above_  
_Put on your hard hats and invisible gloves_  
_What's going on?_  
_I was on the wagon, I thought I was done_  
_You have to watch out_  
_When one falls in another can't get out_  
_You say that I like what you say_  
_I like what you say_  
_You say that I like what you say_  
_I like what you say_

"I don't know this one," he tells Skye.

"It's _I Like What You Say_ by Nada Surf," she says, then chuckles at his obviously blank expression. "You don't have a drink."

"No, and if you want me to sing, I need one."

"Let me fix that for you, sir," she says, grinning cheerily, then hurrying across to the table, where the usual depredations have already begun. She returns quickly carrying two bottles of beer, and a bowl of pretzels.

"If you prefer sweet to salty, I've got some Twizzlers, too," she tells him, giving him a beer.

"That's very sweet of you," he deadpans, and she bursts out laughing, drawing curious looks from Bobbi, Trip, and May.

She nudges his shoulder with hers. "I'm glad to see you dressed appropriately."

He manages not to choke on his beer, then glances down at himself – he'd spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to decide what to wear, and had eventually settled on a pair of dark jeans and a black polo shirt.

"I like your shirt," she says after a moment of silent contemplation. "It really shows off your arms."

He blinks at that, but can't work out a response before Trip calls her over for her assistance with the karaoke machine. After a moment some familiar chords begin and Trip sings Stevie Wonder's hit:

_You are the sunshine of my life_  
_That's why I'll always be around_  
_You are the apple of my eye_  
_Forever you'll stay in my heart_  
_I feel like this is the beginning_  
_Though I've loved you for a million years_  
_And if I thought our love was ending_  
_I'd find myself drowning in my own tears_

He doesn't stare at Simmons throughout, but he shoots enough glances her way as he sings that it's pretty obvious to everyone there, not just Coulson, that Trip is specifically singing the song to Simmons, and Coulson can't help wincing and looking over at Fitz. Mack's sitting beside him, both of them with a beer in their hand, but Fitz looks fidgety, and Coulson suspects he might disappear fairly soon.

When Trip finishes singing, he moves back to join Jemma, and Bobbi and Hunter both clap him on the back, congratulating him on his singing. Coulson can easily admit that the younger man has an excellent voice.

"C'mon guys, who's next?" Skye calls into the room.

When it becomes obvious no one's prepared to step up, she shakes her head, downs the last of her beer, passes the bowl of pretzels to Coulson, then marches back to the front and grabs the microphone. After a few moments, a surprisingly familiar tune comes out of the speakers, and Skye launches into a song he's fairly sure she only knows because it's part of his record collection, and in the week or so since he's stopped carving and she's been working in his office, she's been listening to his old vinyl collection:

_Sometimes in our lives we all have pain_  
_We all have sorrow_  
_But if we are wise_  
_We know that there's always tomorrow_  
_Lean on me, when you're not strong_  
_And I'll be your friend_  
_I'll help you carry on_  
_For it won't be long_  
_'Til I'm gonna need_  
_Somebody to lean on_

She glances at the others in their little groups as she sings the Bill Withers classic, but her gaze comes back to Coulson again and again, and he swallows and tries to keep his expression neutral, though he feels far from stoic about her singing to him – and it's obvious she is singing to him, in the same way that it was obvious Trip was singing to Simmons. He feels heat in his face and doesn't dare look at the others in case anyone can tell what he's feeling.

Skye finishes the song, and gives a flourishing bow when the others start stamping and cheering her performance, and Coulson, after a moment to mentally gird his loins, sets aside the bowl of pretzels and crosses the room towards her. This elicits more cheers and some applause, and he notices that May is positively smirking at him from across the room. (He also notices that Fitz has slipped out, just as he'd anticipated.)

"You're gonna sing?" Skye asks, giving him a big smile.

"I believe I should reciprocate somewhat," he says, and she bursts out laughing, probably at his awkward phrasing, then bumps her shoulder against his before putting the microphone in his hand. Her fingers touch his as she passes it over and he shivers involuntarily at the contact.

"Do you need my help picking a song?" she asks, apparently not noticing his reaction.

"No, thank you, I believe I can manage."

"Cool." She goes back to the spot from which he'd been watching the proceedings, and he fiddles with the karaoke machine, then steps back and clears his throat as a more modern song than the one Skye just sang begins to play:

_So here we stand in our secret place,_  
_The sound of the crowd is so far away,_  
_You take my hand, and it fees like home,_  
_We both understand, it's where we belong_  
_So do I say, do I say goodbye,_  
_We both have our dreams we both want to fly,_  
_So lets take tonight, to carry us through the lonely times_  
_I'll always look back as I walk away_  
_Memories will last for eternity_  
_And all of our tears will be lost in the rain_  
_As I found my way back to your arms again_  
_But until that day, you know you are_  
_The Queen of my heart._

He only glances Skye's way once as he sings, and she looks both amazed and moved, her hand over her mouth, as he sings. The others seem spellbound, and he's not sure if it's simply the fact he's singing, or the song he's chosen to sing is Westlife's _Queen of My Heart_ continues to play. He resolutely keeps his eyes on the screen of the machine as he doesn't want to be too obvious that he's singing to Skye, though he's pretty sure everyone there is well aware of the fact. 

When the song finishes he feels as if his heart's in his throat, but the response of his audience is as enthusiastic as their response to Skye's last song, and he feels himself blushing as he hands over the microphone to Bobbi. 

"Nice one, sir," she says, grinning broadly at him. 

"Thanks," he says awkwardly. He hurries away before she can say anything further, and does his best to blank out Hunter's remarks as he joins Skye. She's got a couple more beers by now, and he's very grateful for the additional alcohol. 

"You sing pretty well, mister," she tells him as she holds out one of the bottles. 

"Thank you." 

"I had no idea you liked Westlife." She sounds intrigued, he thinks. 

"They're not my #1 favourite," he tells her. 

"Still, though." She leans her shoulder against his as he swigs from his bottle, and he feels himself beginning to settle again as Bobbi starts to sing another song he doesn't know: 

_I want you to want me._  
_I need you to need me._  
_I'd love you to love me._  
_I'm beggin' you to beg me._  
_I want you to want me._  
_I need you to need me._  
_I'd love you to love me._  
_I'll shine up my old brown shoes._  
_I'll put on a brand new shirt._  
_I'll get home early from work._  
_If you say that you love me._

"What is this?" he asks Skye, noticing that Mack's standing beside Hunter now that Fitz has gone, and that Bobbi seems to be singing to both men. 

" _I Want You to Want Me_ by Cheap Trick," Skye answers, her eyes also on Mack and Hunter. "I think she wants both of them." 

Coulson half chokes on his mouthful of beer, and Skye gives him an alarmed look, then thumps him on the back as he tries to catch his breath again. 

After Bobbi finishes, there's a pause of several minutes, during which Skye tries to cajole May into singing, but she refuses point blank, doing her best to stare Skye down over the rim of her glass of bourbon. Eventually Skye shrugs, then moves over to speak to Trip and Jemma, and Mack, Bobbi, and Hunter. 

He'll admit to some surprise when Mack eventually moves to stand in front of the karaoke machine, and when Skye joins him, he tells her, "That's something I never thought I'd see." 

She grins at him. "I can be very persuasive," she tells him. 

"What did you do, promise to do inventory for him?" 

She laughs. "Oh no – I promised to make sure Hunter does it." 

He raises his eyebrows, then decides it's probably better for the Director of SHIELD not to ask how she's going to achieve that. 

Mack begins to sing, and it's obvious that, for once, Skye doesn't know what the song is: 

_The river flows, it flows to the sea._  
_Wherever that river goes that's where I want to be._  
_Flow river flow, let your waters wash down,_  
_Take me from this road to some other town._  
_All he wanted was to be free,_  
_And that's the way it turned out to be._  
_Flow river flow, let your waters wash down._  
_Take me from this road to some other town._

"Do you know this one?" she asks, head cocked towards Mack, who's got a nice bass voice. 

"Yeah, it's the _Ballad of Easy Rider_ by The Byrds – it's from the movie. I believe Bob Dylan wrote the opening line." 

Skye looks impressed, which makes him want to swagger, which is such a ridiculous reaction to have that he goes to fetch them both another beer. He picks up a bowl of nuts as well, as Mack continues to work his way through the song. It's only when he resumes his spot beside Skye that Coulson realises that Mack's singing with his eyes closed – the better to concentrate, Coulson assumes. 

"Are you gonna sing again?" Skye asks as Mack winds to a close. 

He pretends to consider it, but the truth is his inhibitions have loosened up enough now that he quite likes the idea of singing again. "Very well," he says eventually, and she grins, clearly delighted. 

"What you gonna sing this time?" she asks eagerly. 

"Wait and see," he tells her, then passes his beer back to her before going to take Mack's place at the microphone. He quickly finds the song he wants – an old favourite from Hot Chocolate, then launches into the song, which earns him a sharp look from May and a speculative one from Bobbi: 

_I believe in miracles,_  
_Where you from,_  
_You sexy thing, sexy thing you,_  
_I believe in miracles,_  
_Since you came along,_  
_You sexy thing,_  
_Where did you come from, baby?_  
_How did you know I needed you?_  
_How did you know I needed you so badly?_  
_How did you know I'd give my heart gladly?_

Skye is gazing at him with a mixture of disbelief and hope, and he knows he's blushing as he continues to sing until the song comes to a close. 

When he resumes his spot beside Skye, relinquishing the microphone to Trip again, Coulson hardly dares to look at her, but she throws her arms around him and hugs him tightly, which means he doesn't have to look at her, not just yet, anyway. 

"That was beautiful," she whispers in his ear, and he feels a shiver of arousal run through him at her hot breath on his over-sensitive ear. 

"Thanks." 

They pull apart as Trip begins to sing, and Coulson notices he's not even pretending not to be singing for Simmons this time: 

_First time I saw your face I knew I was meant for you._  
_First time you said my name I knew I was meant for you._  
_Love, they say, it heals all wounds,_  
_Love removes the hurt in you,_  
_Love, I know that this is true._  
_Love, they say that it is blind,_  
_Love, they say it all the time,_  
_Love, I know that they are right._  
_Love, they say this,_  
_You don’t need to wonder if love will make us stronger,_  
_There’s nothing love can’t do._

"That's a pretty obvious declaration," Coulson observes after Skye finally lets him go, watching Simmons watching Trip, and glad that Fitz had already decamped. Of course, this sort of awkwardness, or potential for it, is why the old SHIELD had its no fraternisation rules, but Coulson decides that the three of them will just have to find a way to work things out – they're all adults, after all. 

"Yeah, well Trip's had hearteyes for Jemma since they first met." 

Coulson frowns a little at that observation. "You were unconscious – " _Dying_ his brain supplies, but he doesn't say that aloud. "when they first met." 

She chuckles. "Yeah, but I have eyes. As soon as I was awake enough to take notice, I noticed those two." She has her whole left arm pressed against his and he wonders if he dares wrap his arm around her instead. But even as he's trying to find the courage to make such a move, Trip finishes singing, and Skye flashes a heated look at him, then moves to take Trip's place. Coulson notices the younger man wrap his arm around Simmons' shoulders, and then the two of them slip away from the common room. 

His attention's pulled back to Skye immediately, though, when she begins to sing: 

_Incompatible, it don't matter though_  
_'cos someone's bound to hear my cry._  
_Speak out if you do,_  
_You're not easy to find._  
_Is it possible Mr. Loveable_  
_Is already in my life?_  
_Right in front of me,_  
_Or maybe you're in disguise?_

He doesn't know the song or the woman singing it, but it seems a lot like a declaration to him – nearly as obvious as Trip's to Simmons, and Coulson finds himself hoping Skye really means it, even though he's not sure it would be a wise move for him and Skye to hook up. He's already earned a lot of concerned looks from other agents because of his carving. 

_Who doesn't long for someone to hold?_  
_Who knows how to love you without being told._  
_Somebody tell me why I'm on my own_  
_If there's a soulmate for everyone?_  
_If there's a soulmate for everyone?_

Skye finishes the song, and there's more cheering and applause, while Hunter stamps his appreciation, and Skye blushes, ducking her head so that her long hair falls in front of her face. 

He takes a deep breath, then goes to switch places with her, leaning in to say in her ear: "We need to talk." 

She nods, then relinquishes the microphone, and he swallows hard, then reaches for the karaoke machine to find a song he wants to sing. He finally settles on _I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)_ by a John Mayer: 

_No, I'm not the man I used to be lately,_  
_See you met me at an interesting time,_  
_If my past is any sign of your future,_  
_You should be warned before I let you inside._  
_Hold on to whatever you find baby._  
_Hold on to whatever will get you through._  
_Hold on to whatever you find baby._

Skye's blushing as he finishes the song, his eyes not leaving hers throughout, and as he sets down the microphone, Hunter yells "Get in there!", which earns him a simultaneous smack on the arm from both Mack and Bobbi. Coulson ignores this byplay and crosses the room to join Skye; he slips his hand into hers, then tugs her arm gently, and they move away, heading upstairs to his office as Hunter begins belting out, "You're the one that I want" at the top of his lungs. 

The two of them don't speak as they make their way upstairs, and once they're through his door, he turns and locks it behind them, then gasps when Skye pushes him up against the door and bites down on his bottom lip. He immediately opens his mouth to hers, already feeling his cock straining against his zipper as she kisses him hot and hungry. 

"Coulson," she groans. 

"Phil," he tells her, and she pulls her head back to give him a puzzled look, then comprehension dawns. 

"Phil," she says, in a very determined tone, before dragging her tongue across his lips. She fumbles her jeans open, then dives in to get his unfastened too, and moments later, they're fucking against the door, Skye's legs wrapped tightly around his waist as she rides him hard and fast. 

It's over far too quickly, but that doesn't surprise him, and Skye doesn't seem to mind. She unwraps her legs and he lowers her to stand in front of him, then opens his mouth when she leans in to kiss him again. 

"Weren't we going to talk?" she teases. 

"I think we just said what we wanted to say," he tells her, then leans in to kiss along her shoulder, pushing the strap of her tank aside as his mouth leaves hot, biting kisses on her skin. She groans his name, and he repeats the kisses on her other shoulder, then pulls back to get a good look at her: her face is flushed, her eyes sparkling with desire, and there's a little pool of sweat between her bare breasts, which he leans in to lap away. 

"Bed?" she asks hopefully, and he chuckles against her flesh, then pulls away before he grabs her hand and tugs lightly. 

"Bed," he agrees, and leads the way into his bedroom. _If music be the food of love,_ he thinks, aware it's a sappy thought, but not caring in the least. He even dares to think Skye might like him being sappy. 

**Author's Note:**

> The songs in the order they're sung in the fic:
> 
> Bobbi & Skye: _Girls Just Want to Have Fun_ \- Cyndi Lauper  
>  Bobbi: _I Like What You Say_ \- Nada Surf  
>  Trip: _You Are the Sunshine of my Life_ \- Stevie Wonder  
>  Skye: _Lean on Me_ \- Bill Withers  
>  Coulson: _Queen of My Heart_ \- Westlife  
>  Bobbi: _I Want You to Want Me_ \- Cheap Trick  
>  Mack: _Ballad of Easy Rider_ \- The Byrds  
>  Coulson: _You Sexy Thing (I Believe in Miracles)_ \- Hot Chocolate  
>  Trip: _Love They Say_ \- Tegan  & Sara  
> Skye: _Soulmate_ \- Natasha Bedingfield  
>  Coulson: _I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)_ \- John Mayer  
>  Hunter: _You're the One that I Want_ \- John Travolta  & Olivia Newton-John


End file.
